LingoflyHow I am learning the language
A short text in Kazakh at level A2. The translation sits next to it: reading with a dictionary is still too early at this level, and without support it will not happen at all. A year has passed since I started learning Kazakh on my own. I memorize ten words a day, and once a month I take a test…
Text
- Қазақ тілін өз бетімше үйрене бастағаныма бір жыл болды. Күніне он сөз жаттаймын, ал айына бір рет тіл деңгейін тексеретін тест тапсырамын. Ең қиыны — естіп түсіну: жазғанды түсінемін, бірақ жылдам сөйлегенде шатасып кетемін. Мұғалім маған ескерту жасады: «Грамматиканы қуып кетпе, көбірек сөйле», — деді. Әр жолы жақсырақ шығып жатыр, сондықтан жарты жолда тастағым келмейді.Qazaq tilin öz betimshe üirene bastağanyma bir zhyl boldy. Künine on söz zhattaimyn, al aiyna bir ret til deñgeiin tekseretin test tapsyramyn. Eñ qiyny — estip tüsinu: zhazğandy tüsinemin, biraq zhyldam söilegende shatasyp ketemin. Mūğalim mağan eskertu zhasady: «Grammatikany quyp ketpe, köbirek söile», — dedi. Är zholy zhaqsyraq shyğyp zhatyr, sondyqtan zharty zholda tastağym kelmeidi.A year has passed since I started learning Kazakh on my own. I memorize ten words a day, and once a month I take a test of my language level. The hardest thing is listening comprehension: I understand what is written, but when people speak fast I get confused. The teacher made me a remark: "Do not chase grammar, speak more," he said. It turns out better each time, so I do not want to quit halfway.
Comprehension questions
The questions are asked in Russian on purpose: we test your understanding of the text, not your ability to read the question.
- How long has the narrator been learning the language?
- How many words does he learn a day?
- What is hardest for him?
- What did the teacher advise?
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read this text in Kazakh?
A2. That means: you know the letters and have a stock of everyday words — about two or three hundred.
How to read a text in an unfamiliar language usefully?
First all the way through without peeking at the translation — just to catch the familiar words. Then with the translation. Then all the way through again: the second pass brings noticeably more, and that feeling matters more than any rule.